Kia ora koutou katoa,

It’s my pleasure to introduce this edition of LawTalk, which takes a deep dive into the vital and often complex world of international law, a theme that resonates more strongly than ever as our profession navigates an increasingly interconnected global legal landscape.

Our feature asks the compelling question: ‘Does international law have teeth?’ and explores key areas such as the Law of the Sea, international arbitration, trade law, and the International Criminal Court, topics that challenge us to think beyond our borders and consider how international legal frameworks impact our work here in Aotearoa New Zealand. These articles invite us to engage thoughtfully with the global forces shaping justice today.

Bringing together international perspectives has reinforced for me the value of global collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the legal profession.

I was honoured to attend two conferences in India on behalf of the Law Society: The Presidents of Law Associations in Asia and the Rule of Law Convention. At the former, I spoke on the importance of diversity in the legal profession as a means of better serving communities and protecting the rights of the vulnerable. It was inspiring to share stories of New Zealand law reforms such as the Marriage Amendment Bill and the Holidays Amendment Bill, powerful examples of how the law can evolve to reflect the needs of our society.

Alongside the international focus, we are also celebrating a significant milestone closer to home. Thirty-five years ago lawyers and academics pored over the provisions of the Bill of Rights Act and began to shape how it would operate in society. It is fitting, then, that this year we have marked the Act’s anniversary with a series of events in collaboration with the University of Canterbury Law School, including three seminars on criminal law, employment law, and environment and climate change, and culminating in a two-day conference with international experts and an address from the Chief Justice. We acknowledge all that has been achieved so far, and that the work of academics and lawyers will no doubt continue to protect and advance the application of the Act.

Our responsibility as kaitiaki, or caretakers of the legal profession, calls on us to maintain momentum – especially in times of change. In August we built on the findings of our Strengthening the Rule of Law in Aotearoa report with our submission to the 2025 Triennial Legal Aid Review, in which we called for increased and ongoing funding for the legal aid system and emphasised the need for any reforms to be evidence-based. As part of our submission, we included compelling cost-benefit and economic analyses from Deloitte, which concluded for every $1 invested in legal aid, at least $2.06 in benefits are generated. A sustainable and fair legal aid system is essential for a well-functioning and trusted justice system for all of society, and we keenly await the outcome of the review.

In the spirit of knowledge-sharing, I recently contributed to our bi-annual Advanced Litigation Skills course. As always, it was a privilege to be involved as participants from across the country participated in a simulated court room exercise. Their court performance was then critiqued by the judiciary and some of New Zealand’s most experienced counsel.

I have been involved in the Litigation Skills programme since 1994; it is one of our most popular courses and an example of collegiality at its finest. I am always stunned by the generosity of our legal profession and those who provide their time so participants can gain valuable training.

Law Society learning is in safe hands with the highly experienced Michael Fraser, who joined us earlier this year as our General Manager of Continuing Legal Education. In this issue he shares his reflections from six months in the role, highlighting how education works to evolve our profession.

Finally, we celebrated the future of our profession through the energy and ideas of new lawyers at the inaugural Taraitia ā Anamata – Create the future conference, which brought together lawyers early in their careers with energy and ideas to shape what lies ahead. Their enthusiasm gives me great hope that the legal profession will continue to evolve with purpose and integrity.

This edition is a vivid snapshot of a profession that embraces both its local roots and global connections. Grounded in our values of Kaitiakitanga, Manaakitanga, and Pono, we continue to build a legal profession that is strong, inclusive, and trusted by all in Aotearoa New Zealand.